


The Trials of Vanessa Woodson

by xQiblixWOF



Series: Nevermoor: Vanessa Woodson [1]
Category: Nevermoor Series - Jessica Townsend
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:28:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27952358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xQiblixWOF/pseuds/xQiblixWOF
Summary: AU Notes Before Reading-Ezra Squall was redeemed and had a trial proving him not guilty, he was then to the dismay of most of the citizens of the Free State allowed back in on a contract to be banned eternally with any further crimes, he was also put back into the society so they could keep him monitored. Most people still hate him and/or are scared of him.-The events of this fanfiction are roughly 6 years after Hollowpox.
Series: Nevermoor: Vanessa Woodson [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047037
Comments: 3
Kudos: 3





	1. The Evilest Man Who Ever Lived

**Author's Note:**

> AU Notes Before Reading  
> -Ezra Squall was redeemed and had a trial proving him not guilty, he was then to the dismay of most of the citizens of the Free State allowed back in on a contract to be banned eternally with any further crimes, he was also put back into the society so they could keep him monitored. Most people still hate him and/or are scared of him.  
> -The events of this fanfiction are roughly 6 years after Hollowpox.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this is my first legitimate fan fiction so the writing is pretty crap and the chapters will probably only span from a minimum of 1500 words to maybe 5000 (if I’m really feeling it) so yeah. Anyway thanks for reading anyway! (It’ll get more exciting I promise)  
> (Probably will rewrite this in a few months or so.)

Vanessa’s life was fine. Sure her mother kept secrets from her, sure her mother barely made enough money to keep rent and sure she didn't have a father but that didn't matter, Vanessa was content and she was sure that she would never want anything to change. Until something did change.  
The knock on the door was quiet yet firm. Vanessa’s mother had been cooking dinner and Vanessa had been reading a book, she wasn't very good at reading but she was encouraged to read anyway.  
“Open the door Nessa!”  
“Right”  
Vanessa put her book down and opened the door, a man stood outside. Scarred and thin, he wore a grey suit, and in Vanessa’s opinion looked too dark to be able survive in open sunlight. Maybe he was a vampire. His hair was ash-brown, grey at his temples.  
“Good evening” he smiled grimly at her, there was something about him that radiated power, dark power. Vanessa didn’t want to dwell on it.  
“Uh... come in?” She said hesitantly stepping aside for him, he walked in slowly, and for the first time Vanessa realised he was holding a briefcase. She squinted at him. “Who are you?” The man looked at her confused.  
“You-you mean you don’t know who I am?” He asked, his previously composed face was now twisted in disbelief. Vanessa nearly snorted, what sort of self centred idiot would think everyone would know who he was. He snorted “That would explain on why you let me walk in.”  
“Why? Who are you?” She asked tilting her head at him. He blinked slowly and recomposed himself.  
“This would of been quite more efficient if you knew who I was.” He gazed at a blue and white clock hanging neatly on the wall.  
“Get away from my daughter!” Vanessa jumped, behind her her mother stood in the doorway that connected the living room and kitchen, she looked furious and scared, maybe he was a vampire. The man turned around too.  
“I am not going to hurt Vanessa.” He said simply.  
“I said, get away from her.” Her mother snapped coolly.  
“What’s going on? How do you know my name?” Both the man and Vanessa’s mother ignored her questions.  
“Why are you here?” Vanessa’s mother asked narrowing her eyes. The man looked at her gave a small smile.  
“I want to offer your daughter a patronage.” He said “I think she needs to join the trials for Wunsoc.” Vanessa gasped, and her mother stared at him in pure outrage.  
“No! How, what- no!” Vanessa’s mother cried. “Get out! Now!”  
“Wait what? Why do you want to give me of all people a patronage, I don’t even have a knack.”  
“You have a knack, a very special one.” He smiled at her in an unsettling way.  
“What knack?” The venom in her mother’s voice made Vanessa want shrivel up and hide.  
“Let me explain all of this to your daughter first, who I am, her knack, and why I know she has that knack, and then,” he looked at her mother “maybe we can discuss a patronage?”  
“Fine.”  
“Alright then,” he straightened his sleeves “I am sorry that it is taken you so long to learn my name, anyways it’s Ezra Squall, my name is Ezra Squall” Vanessa paused, she had heard of that name before. In the news somewhere, Ezra Squall raised an eyebrow. “Still doesn’t ring any bells?”  
“I’ve heard about you before but I don’t remember from where”  
“Yet you still haven’t seen a picture of me or heard of me or anything?” Vanessa shook her head. “Well” he looked awkwardly at Vanessa’s mother. “Maybe you’re due for a history lesson.”

. . .

There was an awkward half hour of Vanessa’s mother and Ezra Squall explaining the Courage Square Massacre, Wundersmiths and Squall’s banishment and unbanishment.  
“That’s dark.” Vanessa said looking at Squall with new fear.  
“I’m on a pact, can’t do anything illegal or else they have the right to permanently banish me.” Vanessa’s mother’s posture relaxed a little bit.  
“So what is my knack?” Vanessa asked “Why would you take interest in me?” There was a small theory in the back of Vanessa’s head but she was dismissing it, it was practically impossible.  
“You don’t- isn’t it kind of obvious by now?”  
“Are you saying” Vanessa’s mother eyes widened “Is Vanessa a Wundersmith? How do you know?”  
There was a pause and then a nod came from Squall, Vanessa felt her mouth open in shock. She wasn’t, she- well her theory was at least correct.  
“What?” She looked at her hands, they looked normal, like any other pair of hands. “How do you know?”  
“Your birthday is Autumn of Twelve is it not? Born 11 years ago from hours 7am to 9am?” Vanessa’s mother nodded.  
“Oddly specific, but yes.”  
“At that time a cursed child of Wintersea died, replaced with you.” He shrugged, “A friend informed me on increased wunder levels in this area, did some investigating and realised that you were a Wundersmith.” Vanessa shook her head.  
“I can’t be a Wundersmith, there is- I’m not- I can’t be-”  
“You are though, would you like to see for yourself?” He asked stepping towards her. “Is there a song that you know every line to?”  
“A song?” Vanessa asked, surprised.  
“The very first thing a young Wundersmith has to learn, is the Wunderous Art of Nocturne which is basically calling wunder, and it’s initiated by singing a song individual to you, and it’s important to know all the lines or else wunder won’t be able to connect it with you.” He answered.  
“Wunder won’t be able to what? Wunder is a living thing?” Vanessa asked feeling her eyebrows raise.  
“Wunder is a living thing.” He replied matter of factly, “Now do you have a song or what?”  
“Oh right...” She thought for a moment, Vanessa didn’t know any songs. A fragment of a tune came to her... ‘none shall ever love you more than me...’ “The coldest winter.. the longest fall...”  
There was a small gasp from Vanessa’s mother.  
“The you-youngest children sing above all. The fiercest winds, the-the oldest trees, none shall ever love you more than me. The darkest hours, the worst of days, all shall eventually be swept away...” Vanessa felt a jolt of energy at her fingertips, she looked down at her hands and saw a small glittering, golden light drifting around her fingers, she felt her eyes widen. “W-what is that?”  
Eyes weren’t on her though, Vanessa realised that her mother had collapsed to the floor with her hands over her head sobbing quietly. Squall was standing close to her his hand reaching towards her, his face worried yet hesitant.  
“Mom!” Vanessa rushed to her mother’s side. As Vanessa’s thoughts had shifted, she realised the small light had disappeared.  
“I’m sorry Nessa... but I don’t want her to do this. Not this. Not that lullaby. Never that lullaby.” Her mother got up wiping her tear stroked face dry. She looked towards Squall “I can’t- I- do you have a good reason on why I should let Vanessa continue with this?” He hesitated.  
“Well... it’s possibly lethal if she doesn’t learn how to use wunder-”  
“What!” Vanessa’s mother stared at Squall in outrage.  
“If she doesn’t learn how to control wunder, wunder is going to control her. The easiest way for her to learn is through the society, she can still be taught if she doesn’t get in or you don’t want her to join the trials at all. I could teach her a bit now actually, then maybe you won’t need to see me again, if that’s what you really want, but it’ll be a waste of her talent really-”  
“Wait,” she looked at Vanessa her eyes gleaming with worry. “I’ll sign the forms, I don’t want to pull her down and... I think I’m going to have to trust you eventually.” She gazed at Squall.  
“Are you sure?” He asked slowly  
“If that’s what I have to do, yes.”  
“Alright then.” He flicked his hand up and then back down, once it came down Vanessa noticed an piece of ivory coloured paper in his hand. Half of the paper was covered in fancy, cursive handwriting.  
“Wunderous patronage contract.” He gave it to Vanessa’s mother. A pen materialised on the table, and Vanessa’s mother knelt down and picked up the pen, scanning the writing she hesitated and then quickly scratched down her sharp, jagged signature.  
She handed it back to Squall and he passed it to Vanessa.  
“Read it.”  
She took the piece of paper and read it slowly,

This contract shall allow the patronage of Ezra Squall and Vanessa Woodson, with the signatures of patron, guardian and candidate.  
If all is accepted by Spring of 10, Vanessa Woodson shall be a valid contestant in the trials to join Unit 926 of the Wunderous Society.  
Step Boldly,  
Elder Gregoria Quinn  
Patron  
Ezra Squall

Guardian  
Evelyn Mary Woodson

Candidate

She ran her finger along the word candidate.  
“Can I sign?”  
“That’s what I gave it to you for right?”  
“Well-“  
“Just sign it.”  
Vanessa knelt down next to her mother and picked up the pen. In wobbly uppercased lettering Vanessa managed to spell out her name. VANESSA WOODSON. Once she was done she handed the piece of paper back to Squall. He squinted at her handwriting.  
“You haven’t- well- this is-“ he paused. “Ok, never mind.” He opened his briefcase and slid the piece of paper inside, there was a soft click as it closed.  
Squall’s eyes drifted to Vanessa’s mother.  
“I am going to teach Vanessa some of the basic Wunderous Arts,” he grimaced “if you don’t want to see that... well you can leave, I promise you nothing will happen to your daughter.”  
There was a pause.  
“Alright, but if anything happens to Vanessa, I will hurt you.” She glared at him. “Keep her safe.” She stepped away turning quickly and headed off to the kitchen.  
“I’d bet that dinner’ll be ruined by now.” Vanessa said sniffing disdainfully, Squall gave her an amused look.  
“That golden light, what you saw earlier when you sang, that was wunder, try and summon that again. Sing your song again.”  
“I don’t remember my song.” She thought about why she had known it, she didn’t know. Vanessa didn’t have any memory to why she had known the song in the first place, and now she didn’t even remember it but her mother had clearly recognised it.  
“Nonsense, you just sang it.” he said tilting his head. “Something about winter and then...” he hummed the tune of the song.  
Vanessa looked down at her fingers.  
“The coldest winter... the longest fall.” She sang without knowing it. “The youngest children sing above all. The fiercest winds, the oldest trees, none shall-” her voice cracked. “I don’t remember it.”  
“You do,” he insisted. “You just don’t know you do, you’ve been singing it, continue.”  
“None shall-none shall love you more than me,” reluctantly she continued singing “the darkest hours, the worst of days, all shall eventually be swept away...” the jolt of energy came back to her, she looked down to see the light, again.  
“Continue.”  
“For no one will touch you, pretty and fine... no one shall hurt you... because-because they’ll know you’re mine.” The energy was starting to build up, dancing playfully around her, outlining her in a golden light. “The coldest winter, the longest fall, the youngest children sing above all. The fiercest winds, the oldest trees, none shall ever love you more than me-” Vanessa stopped, the energy was slowly overtaking her. “Is it supposed to- to do this?”  
“Why, do you want it to go away? Don’t let it control you, Miss Woodson, become the one in command.”  
“How do I do that?” She asked holding her arms up and inspecting the wunder.  
“Command it.” He said shrugging. “Do it out loud if you really have to.”  
She nodded slowly and glared at wunder.  
“Go away.” She said to it narrowing her eyes. Wunder slowly started to disappear.  
Squall nodded, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “Would you like to learn something else now?”  
“Oh um, alright?” She replied. His eyes drifted off towards the ceiling and then he snorted. “What?”  
“Oh nothing, just I’m doing the exact same thing with my other student.” He looked back down at her, “I am going to teach you Inferno, I think it might be useful to you as a first art.”  
“Who was your other student?” Vanessa asked looking at him curiously. There was a glimmer of exasperation in his eye when he spoke.  
“You’ll meet her soon enough.” He looked at his hand, and Vanessa looked at his hand too. A small spark danced around his fingertips, the spark slowly turned into a small fire, Vanessa gasped. “Don’t worry, this is supposed to happen, the Wunderous Art of Inferno is the creation of fire, I can touch this fire without damage, but no one else can, not even if you’re a Wundersmith. So no touching.”  
“Right, alright.”  
The flame in his hand kindled and flickered, Vanessa was mesmerised.  
“How do I do that?” She asked looking up at him. He clenched his fist and as soon as that the flame in his hand was gone.  
“Close your eyes and look into your heart, find your fire.” He put his hand out, a single candle materialised onto it, woven by golden string. “Once you find it release it, release it to your target.”  
Vanessa closed her eyes, she could see a flame, a flame created by every feeling Vanessa had ever felt.  
“Grab your fire.”  
She wanted to grab it but it was too far away.  
“Feel everything you feel right now, but push it further.”  
Vanessa felt herself seize her flame, it burned passionately in her hand, it was warm but it didn’t hurt.  
“Breathe towards your target.”  
Vanessa opened her eyes and breathed slowly, a small flame was guided towards the candle and lit it ablaze. Squall gave her a small smile of satisfaction.  
“You learnt quickly.”  
“I did?” She smiled. He nodded.  
“I need a word with your mother before I go, I can’t stay much longer.” He looked at the blue-white clock on the wall. He then smiled faintly at her. “Goodbye Miss Woodson, I’ll see you soon.”  
Vanessa watched as he walked into the kitchen. She yawned, it was only 7:00 but Vanessa was tired nonetheless. A stab of anxiety came to her, her mother had told her about the Wunderous Society before, only the most elite people could become members. Vanessa, who could barely read and write was not elite in the slightest. There was a voice in her head that disagreed, she now knew what Wundersmiths were and what they were capable of, what she was capable of, she was one of the most powerful people alive. Vanessa didn’t like that voice, she was twisted in the vines of ambition and anxiety and for one of the first times in her life she wished that she lived in the public and knew what everyone else knew.  
She wrapped her arms around herself and curled down on the couch, it was uncomfortable but comforting, in the nostalgic sort of way. Vanessa had a lot of questions, but no one could answer them now, she sighed and closed her eyes. She let her fatigue consume her and drifted into an anxiety filled sleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Study Hard

Vanessa woke up the next day in her bed. Dappled sunlight seeped from her windows, her curtains were closed creating a dim atmosphere. She sat up, scratching her head and blinking slowly. She looked around, everything was the same, well not everything was the same, but the only things that had changed were impossible to see. Vanessa got out of bed and yawned, she gradually got dressed and got to the living room. Something was different there, a tower of books lay on the coffee table. Vanessa went over and examined the neatly stacked pile. She picked up the book on the top of the pile, An Abridged History to the Wunderous Society. Vanessa flinched, she didn’t understand why she needed that, or any other the other books in the pile.  
“Vanessa?” Her mother’s soft voice came from behind her, Vanessa turned around to see her smiling mother, not the version of her mother that she saw yesterday... paranoid and venomous.  
“Hi mom.” Vanessa tried to smile but she could tell her mother saw past it.  
“Are you ok?”  
“I-I just , why do I need this?” She gestured to the pile of books on the table.  
“Well... he... Ezra Squall, he gave me these for you...” she paused and looked away, and Vanessa had a brief look back to the overly paranoid version of her mother. “He said that maybe it would be easier for you to- to compete if you had read these.”  
“I don’t need to read these though, do I?” Vanessa asked, her mother hesitated. “I do?”  
“Vanessa, you know you never went to school, if you learnt a bit now at least it would be a start!” Her mother pleaded. Vanessa slumped.  
“Fine...” She sighed and collapsed onto the couch, opening the book.  
“Thank you, darling.” She turned on her heel. “I’ll make you breakfast, alright?”  
“Thanks mom.” Vanessa looked up and smiled at her mother faintly, and then turned her head back down to focus on the title page of the book. An Abridged History to the Wunderous Society, By Marcus Young. There was the Wunderous Society symbol in between the title and credit, it was a fancy W inside a circle, golden. Vanessa liked the simple elegance of it, she had a sudden inclination to it, she wanted to own it. Not really own it, but just have it, have one small W all for herself, she wanted to win the trials and she wanted to be special. Vanessa had never had that urge before, it was scary in a way, to not be able to control herself.  
She turned the pages, finding the first chapter, neatly printed text lined the page after a chapter indication. Chapter 1. Introduction The Wunderous Society is the most elite group in the Free State, only excepting the best and brightest of each generation... The best and the brightest. Was Vanessa part of the “best and brightest”? As a Wundersmith shouldn’t she be elite enough to be accepted? She turned the pages back to the index. Chapter 8. Wunderous Society Entry Trials pg 328. She flicked through the pages finding chapter eight.  
214, 296, 302, 350, 328.  
At page 328 there was the same small text covering the page. Vanessa skimmed the words, turning pages quickly, barely processing the words. She then found a list, the list went on for quite a few pages and held all, ALL of the Trials that could possibly come up for entrance trials. She had hit gold. Under each trial name, there was a little description of the trial basics, of course no particular clues or tips for the trial itself, but it certainly helped. The first trial on the list was the Abyss Trial, Canidates have to create light in complete darkness. Vanessa brightened, she could do that! After what Squall had taught her the day before, she could make fire any time she wanted.  
She traced her finger down the page, reading each trial, there was about 150 of them.  
She squinted at them, there were a lot of them. She was sure some of them looked much too easy. Like the Treasure Hunt Trial, it was quite literally a treasure hunt. A treasure hunt to determine the most elite people out of a group of 11 year olds. Vanessa snorted.  
She folded the corner of page number 329 and turned back to the index. Chapter 10. Wundersmith History in the Wunderous Society pg 397. On page number 397, there was the large chapter header as usual but underneath 9 words.  
Nocturne  
Weaving  
Ruination  
Inferno  
Veil  
Masquerade  
Tempus  
Harmony  
Puppeteer  
She recognised some of them, Inferno and Nocturne. Those were the Wunderous Arts. She turned the page and found another index. The sections included, General Wundersmith History, Notable Wundersmiths, (The Original 9, Ezra Squall, Morrigan Crow), The Wunderous Arts, Famous Wunderous Acts. Vanessa already knew about her own patron, but she turned to his page anyway.  
His page had been ripped out, that also ripping out Morrigan Crow’s page. Vanessa lined her index finger down the ragged edges of what was left of the page, had Ezra Squall himself ripped out the page? Or was that page just gone to begin with? She sighed and turned to the Wunderous Arts section , that would probably help her.  
The first page of the section yet again listed the 9 Wunderous Arts, but this time a brief description underneath each one.  
Nocturne,  
the art of calling wunder by song.

Weaving,  
the art of creation.

Ruination,  
the art of destruction.

Inferno,  
the art of fire bending.

Veil,  
the art of shadow making.

Masquerade,  
the art of disguise.

Tempus,  
the art of time manipulation.

Harmony,  
the art of balance.

Puppeteer,  
the art of manipulation.

She squinted at the words, Vanessa could do all of that. That was what a Wundersmith could do, Vanessa was powerful. But she wanted to slap herself in the face.  
Vanessa didn’t know whether she wanted to be powerful or trusted. She thought she would want to be trusted, but a tiny voice behind all of her other thoughts was creeping out and slowly engulfing her mind in a flame of ambition. It was all too familiar, yet Vanessa didn’t know why.  
She quickly snapped the the book closed and forced her eyes together. Her thoughts were spiralling into a headache, she clenched her fists.  
“Vanessa?” Her mother’s voice echoed across the room. She opened her eyes and quickly spun around on her knees.  
“Hi Mom!” Her voice was slightly cracked, she hoped her mother wouldn’t notice.  
“Do you want to go eat in the dining room or do you want eat there?” Her mother dipped her head slightly towards the dining room. Vanessa hesitated, not because she hadn’t made her choice but because her head was on fire.  
“Dining room.” Vanessa slowly got up and passed her mother without saying another word, as she passed she could feel her mother wincing.  
She sat down at the dining table, and stared down at her plate blankly. Why? Why wasn’t she thrilled to be “special” and why was she special. She was not special, she didn’t want to be. No, she wanted to not want to be special but that wasn’t the truth.  
She ran her fingers through her hair and sighed. Things had shifted from one to 10 quickly and Vanessa didn’t think she was prepared for it to continue to escalate. Do I have any other option though?


End file.
